Special to WorldTribune.com

LONDON — Allies have again protected Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has been blocked from responding to delays in the removal of Syria’s CW stockpile.

Diplomats said China, Iran and Russia opposed sanctions on the regime of President Bashar Assad for failing to meet deadlines set by OPCW.

“The Syrian government continues to put its energy into excuses, instead of actions,” Robert Mikulak, the U.S. representative in the OPCW, said.

On Feb. 21, the OPCW executive council failed to reach a decision on Syria’s CW stockpile. The meeting pitted Russia against the United States, the latter which rejected a request for another 100-day extension to remove the Syrian stockpile.

China, Iran and Russia have also stopped any action against Syria in the United Nations Security Council, which on Feb. 22 called on Assad to grant access for providers of humanitarian aid. OPCW’s executive council was scheduled to convene on Feb. 25, with another meeting expected in March.

Diplomats said 11 percent of Syria’s 1,200 tons of CW precursors were removed from the country over the last few months. Under an agreement reached in 2013, Syria agreed to surrender its entire stockpile by July
2014.

“Our concern is growing that the 30 June deadline for the destruction of
Syrian chemical weapons will not be met,” British counter-proliferation
director Philip Hall said. “Syria’s commitment to that date is in question.”

  China, China and Russia, Iran, OPCW, Robert Mikulak, Syria missed chemical weapons deadlines with help from Iran, UN Security Council